I’m going to a preview showing of a movie that doesn’t come out until January. What should I expect?

[Cheesebu]

The only other times I've done this, the movie was finished and about to release, and they were just gauging audience response. There is very little info on what is expected.

Are they going to want me to sign an NDA? Am I going to have to answer questions or a questionnaire? I'm assuming it's a rough cut but I don't think there will be a lot of special effects, so I'm not sure what will be missing or if some scenes will be dailies if they are still filming.

Can anyone give insight? I just wanted something to do that night, but now I'm feeling anxious about being useless when it comes down to answering questions lol.

 

[julia crawford]

Just say "I hoped it was more of a nouvelle vague kind of thing" to anything they ask.

 

[Laserbeam]

I think they ask your opinion of it and then use the men in black mind erase thing on you, so no worries.

 

[bsigg]

Yes, they'll ask you to sign an NDA or not be let in.

Yes, they'll be giving you a survey that you'll complete at the end of the movie.

Since it sounds like a movie that doesn't have much CG, you might get scenes with unfinished audio but not placeholder CG (which honestly is hilarious). The prescreening for Guardians of the Galaxy 2 was one of my favorite experiences since like half of the CG wasn't done so it just looked absurd.

 

[HStallion]

Most likely unfinished effects work to the point entire scenes might be missing, a very different soundtrack if it's using a lot of licensed tracks and potentially very different film then what finally gets released especially if the audiences didn't care for the test screening.

 

[Duncan]

 

[Meg Cherry]

Depends if it's a movie that is still in post-production, or if it's something that was delayed from 2020/2021. You'll probably get a survey, which might impact some things about the actual film - or more likely just the marketing.

 

[Venatio]

My favorite part of these screening are when the employees rush into the auditorium 5 min before the ending and block the exits to prevent you from leaving.

OP, they'll have you do a survey, and then they might pick you afterward to take part in a group discussion, often for $20 or a.gift card.

 

[DrForester]

Make sure to say that you wish Brendan Frasier had been cast as one of the characters on the comment card.

 

[Dan-o]

I signed up for one of these once. It ended up being in a hotel conference room, and instead of movies it was a couple TV episodes, and they were clearly produced about 10 years prior (the haircuts... my god, the haircuts...) and actually the entire point was to make us watch commercials between the TV episodes, and then answer questions about which products we would buy.

But your thing is probably legit. Just tell them you want a bleaker ending to the movie. Bleak is better.

 

[zeitgeist]

Yeah I'd expect to sign an NDA, maybe you will have to give up your phone while you are in the theatre too.

There might be a bit of an exit interview if there isn't a survey.

No need to be stressed out about it. Just don't spoil anything if its the new Scream movie please :D.

 

[Socivol]

You will have to sign an NDA, there might be parts that aren't completely finished in the movie, you will fill out a questionnaire at the end. I saw A Star Is Born in a screening sessions a year before it came out and they didn't change anything really in the final film.

 

[Cheesebu]

Ok, so I guess I'm filling out a questionnaire, no big deal. It looks like they started filming in late February if some articles are to be believed. I assume they are done filming because it seems like most of it would be in one location based on the short available synopsis.

Can I post the name of the movie without ninjas coming after me?

Edit: I mean I know the answer has to be yes lol, I just don't want to be a dummy.

 

[JigglesBunny]

Likely sign an NDA, maybe have your phone lock boxed, that's all. Enjoy!

 

[DrScruffleton]

I saw 50/50 several months before it came out. I dont recall having to sign anything or even give my opinion on it. Maybe I agreed to something when i got the tickets, I cant remember. Before the movie, some guy came out and explained the basic synopsis of the movie, and said they would have special cameras monitoring us to check for anyone trying to record the movie. Thats basically all I remember. Everyone just got up and left like normal when it was over. No questionnaire or anything

 

[Syriel]

Ok, so I guess I'm filling out a questionnaire, no big deal. It looks like they started filming in late February if some articles are to be believed. I assume they are done filming because it seems like most of it would be in one location based on the short available synopsis.

Can I post the name of the movie without ninjas coming after me?

Edit: I mean I know the answer has to be yes lol, I just don't want to be a dummy.

Click to shrink...

If you haven't signed anything there are no restrictions on what you can post.

 

[Cheesebu]

Ok I went to the screening companies website rather than just using the link someone sent me on Instagram. There is a pretty big "fine print" section.

I'll have to give my phone up, they want government IDs before entry, they have the right to take our picture beforehand and record us during the showing, and there will be a questionnaire. They are apparently very strict on anyone being high or drinking. That's the major points.

If you haven't signed anything there are no restrictions on what you can post.

Click to shrink...

Cool, I figured lol. It's The Black Phone with Ethan Hawke. A Blumhouse movie.

 

[The Real Abed]

Make sure you sign that NDA then come straight here and tell us the whole plot. How are they gonna know? Film Police watching the forum? If they ask you your Era username just say it's fat4all or something.

 

[Socivol]

Oh yeah as someone mentioned they took my phone too. That was the worst part because you have a bit of time before the movie where you're just kinda looking into space.

 

[Cheesebu]

Oh yeah as someone mentioned they took my phone too. That was the worst part because you have a bit of time before the movie where you're just kinda looking into space.

Click to shrink...

I may just leave it at home because I don't like the idea of them holding it. I'm probably paranoid but I dunno how it's handled. I live a few blocks away so it's no biggie to me. Hopefully an Apple Watch is ok, I really like to know what time it is 😂

 

[Shadownet]

I saw 50/50 several months before it came out. I dont recall having to sign anything or even give my opinion on it. Maybe I agreed to something when i got the tickets, I cant remember. Before the movie, some guy came out and explained the basic synopsis of the movie, and said they would have special cameras monitoring us to check for anyone trying to record the movie. Thats basically all I remember. Everyone just got up and left like normal when it was over. No questionnaire or anything

Click to shrink...

Holy shit! I did too! That was the only early screening I ever been apart of.

 

[TAJ]

My favorite part of these screening are when the employees rush into the auditorium 5 min before the ending and block the exits to prevent you from leaving.

OP, they'll have you do a survey, and then they might pick you afterward to take part in a group discussion, often for $20 or a.gift card.

Click to shrink...

I've been to many of these things and somehow never been surveyed. I also never signed anything.
My first one was The Goonies.

 

[Vulcano's Assistant]

You have been given the power to decide which pieces of pop music that were thrown there temporally make it to the final cut.

 

[Cheesebu]

You have been given the power to decide which pieces of pop music that were thrown there temporally make it to the final cut.

Click to shrink...

"Dear suits, please replace all instances of 21 Pilots with Taylor Swift's Folkore. Thanks in advance, signed Cheesebu."

 

[Krombopulos_MK]

Click to shrink...

 

[julian]

You get a questionnaire at the end and sometimes they ask the audience questions for immediate reactions. Oh, and you should expect whatever ending you saw to be different from whatever comes out in January. That seems like the most consistent thing from the several previews I saw.

 

[Nida]

Please request the lead hang dong.

 

[DinoBlaster]

I saw This Is The End pre-release and the half done special effects were hilarious. People shrinking down holes instead of actually falling, stuff like that. Didn't show the full ending either.

 

[Travo]

You're going to see Scream 5, op.

 

[BringBackSonics]

I saw Jackie brown with Quentin Tarantino in attendance months before it was released, I did have to sign a form that I would not record anything etc

 

[Dalek]

Ok I went to the screening companies website rather than just using the link someone sent me on Instagram. There is a pretty big "fine print" section.

I'll have to give my phone up, they want government IDs before entry, they have the right to take our picture beforehand and record us during the showing, and there will be a questionnaire. They are apparently very strict on anyone being high or drinking. That's the major points.

Cool, I figured lol. It's The Black Phone with Ethan Hawke. A Blumhouse movie.

Click to shrink...

Oh my God! I'm so excited to see this. Big Joe Hill fan here. That short story was fantastic.

 

[Imthefunmachine]

I may just leave it at home because I don't like the idea of them holding it. I'm probably paranoid but I dunno how it's handled. I live a few blocks away so it's no biggie to me. Hopefully an Apple Watch is ok, I really like to know what time it is 😂

Click to shrink...

I have been to a bunch. They do not let you bring in any smart diveces including watches.

 

[nihilence]

I got to see maybe two movies before release, can't really recall.. Maybe it was Up and Brave?

I just remember one person getting frisked, grilled and booted because they had a backpack with a camcorder or something suspicious in it.

 

[Osahi]

NDA and questionaire.

How finished the film is will depend on what their aim is. Sometimes they want to get reactions to a cut to knlw which parts made need reworking. Sometimes they do it with close to finished films to find out how to market it.

 

[Valiant]

The only other times I've done this, the movie was finished and about to release, and they were just gauging audience response. There is very little info on what is expected.

Are they going to want me to sign an NDA? Am I going to have to answer questions or a questionnaire? I'm assuming it's a rough cut but I don't think there will be a lot of special effects, so I'm not sure what will be missing or if some scenes will be dailies if they are still filming.

Can anyone give insight? I just wanted something to do that night, but now I'm feeling anxious about being useless when it comes down to answering questions lol.

Click to shrink...

I have been the tech on these. IE I had to either do it myself or assist in balancing the video settings and audio in the theatre in the morning before showing it and then get to watch it with like 2 or 3 other people in the theatre. It was the easiest fucking days at my job.

What they do is let you know it's a rough cut so coloring will be off, graphics aren't completed and you will most likely have to sign an NDA and security will be on site. After the movie everyone gets a paper they fill out which is the questionnaire and then a select few stay after everyone is done filling them out to have a focus group about it. Not a ton is changed from these between feed back and release and usually its used for marketing purposes.

 

[Cheesebu]

.

 

[Deleted member 41178]

I know I can't talk about the movie, but I just wanna say that Jason Blum was there, and the director of the film (Scott Derrickson) was a few seats away from me (I was put in the VIP section when they ran out of seats). Dumb I know, but it got me hyped.

I overheard Scott tell a colleague that he once heard Ridley Scott ask someone which is bigger, a Galaxy or a universe 😐

Click to shrink...

I'm guessing it was The Black Phone, I'm looking forward to that adaptation. I really enjoyed the short story. Although I'm a sucker for anything Joe Hill.

 

[Cheesebu]

I'm guessing it was The Black Phone, I'm looking forward to that adaptation. I really enjoyed the short story. Although I'm a sucker for anything Joe Hill.

Click to shrink...

Yep! That's the one.